The Orthodox Messenger

Vol. II, No. 16 – Sunday, April 20, 2003

Ecumenical Patriarchate + Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America + Metropolis of Atlanta

Services Held at St. Nicholas Chapel, 13460 Olympic Village Lane, Brooksville, FL -  (352) 796-8482

The Hellenic Orthodox Mission Website: http://orthodoxhernandocountyfl.org/

 

Holy Week in the Orthodox Church

OLY WEEK is a time when we enter into the suffering, the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Holy Week Services prepare us spiritually and then guide us to participate in the last days of Christ on earth. What happens during Holy Week?

   Palm Sunday – Today, April 20 – we remember Jesus Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The people received Him as a King, waving palms. The Palms are blessed.

   Bridegroom Services are conducted Palm Sunday Night, Holy Monday Night, and Holy Tuesday Night -April 20, 21, 22. They are based on the Parable of the Bridegroom with the theme of preparing us to receive Christ, the “Bridegroom of the Church." We are called to be ready to share in the Lord’s Passion.

   Holy Wednesday - April 23 – the Sacrament of Holy Unction is conducted, a Spiritual and Physical Healing Service to prepare us for the reliving of Christ’s Passion.

   Holy Thursday - April 24-  in the morning, we relive the Last Supper with the Divine Liturgy and Holy             Communion. In the evening through a series of Gospel readings we experience the arrest, trial, humiliation and Crucifixion of Christ. At the end of the service we reverence the sacred icon of the Lord’s crucified body.

   Great Friday - April 25 – in the morning we conduct the Service of the Hours, as the Old Testament prophesies are recited. In the afternoon,  are the Vespers of Descent from Cross, when the icon of the crucified Christ is removed from the cross and wrapped in a sheet. A cloth icon of the dead Christ is placed in the flower decorated tomb and carried in proces-sion outdoors.   At night is the Lamentations Service during which we mourn the dead Christ.

   Holy Saturday - April 26 – we conduct a morning Divine Liturgy, “The First Resurrection,” in which we scatter flower petals, calling upon the Lord to “Arise.” At 11 p.m. we begin the Orthros of Pascha, anticipating the moment of Christ’s Resurrection.

   PASCHA - April 27 – we conduct the Midnight Resurrection Service and Liturgy, staying  for whole Liturgy in which we not only hear the announcement of the Resurrection, but also share in the communion of the Body and Blood of the risen Christ. In the afternoon, the “Vespers of Love” are conducted and we recite the Gospel in many languages, proclaiming to the world that “Christ is risen!”

Service Hours: Sundays and Feast days: Orthros at 9:30 a.m.; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

PALM  SUNDAY

 

GOSPEL ENTRANCE HYMNS

1st Dismissal Hymn  for Palm Sunday

   Sung in Greek before the Entrance by the leaders ("Ten keneen anastasin").

   Sing at the Entrance “Save us O Son of God who was seated on a donkey’s foal, we who sing to You, Alleluia”

   (Read after the Entrance) To confirm the general resurrection / before Your Passion, / You resurrected Lazarus from the dead, / O Christ our God. / Therefore imitating the children, / carrying the symbols of victory, / we cry out to You / the Victor over death: / “Hosanna in the highest! / Blessed are You, the One, / who comes in the name of the Lord.

2nd Dismissal Hymn for Palm Sunday

   (Read) We were buried with You / through Baptism, / O Christ our God, / and thus by Your Resurrection / we have been granted immortal life, / and extolling You we cry aloud, / “Hosanna in the highest! / Blessed are You, the One who comes / in the name of the Lord.”

Kontakion for Palm Sunday

   (Read) In heaven upon the throne, / on earth upon the foal, / You were carried, O Christ our God; / and the praise of the Angels, / and the hymns of the children, / You received as they cried to You, / “Blessed are You, the One, / who is coming to call Adam back again.”

Return to page 26 – “Holy God, Holy Mighty . . . .”

EPISTLE: Philippians 4:4-9

BRETHREN, rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.

GOSPEL: John 12:1-18

SIX DAYS before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazaros was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Lazaros was one of those at table with him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it. Jesus said, "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me." When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazaros, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazaros also to death, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" And Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it; as it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that this had been written of him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazaros out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign.